special education teacher

It takes true love for the field of education and a dedication to special needs students to remain very long in the realm of special education. The hours are even longer than those of a classroom teacher, summer meetings are routine, the emotional turmoil from parents and distressed children can be overwhelming, and the monetary benefit is typically equal to that of a classroom teacher. Why then, would anyone want to put forth the effort and money required to pursue a graduate degree in the field of special education? The two reasons that immediately come to mind are knowledge and change. [continue reading…]

Every year, new students and teachers must learn to work together in the classroom. A special education teacher must coordinate with numerous people to make sure their new students receive the help and services they need to succeed in school. [continue reading…]

Twitter is a powerful tool for teachers – especially for special education teachers. In a school, there may be hundreds of classroom teachers, but only half a dozen special education teachers. This often makes it difficult to create a local support network of other professionals who are facing the same sorts of challenges each day in the classroom. [continue reading…]

As a special education teacher, you understand that finding the right resources for each student isn’t necessarily easy or within the budget. That is why it is so important that special education teachers – and teachers in general – utilize any free resources they can find. These five resources offer a variety of free material which can be used to supplement a child’s core curriculum. [continue reading…]

One of the things that teachers must do, to varying degrees depending on the student population, is encourage cultural awareness and acceptance. Small towns and big cities are both apt to have children from a variety of cultures within a single classroom. When students have a learning disability or have limited proficiency with English, they are often evaluated and assigned a special education teacher to help them meet their educational needs. As a special education teacher, there are several things that can be done to within both inclusion classrooms and special education classrooms. Some of the best ways to include a variety of cultures into any type of classroom is through fun activities.

Food

Exploring cultures through food is always popular. Depending on school policy, each child can bring a favorite dish made by parents, or teachers can bring popular dishes in if food sharing isn’t allowed. Finger foods or foods that can be enjoyed in small servings are an excellent choice. Some popular choices include Thai spring rolls, Greek baklava, Venezuelan arepas, Brazilian cheese bread, or any popular food from a student’s country of origin. Be sure to include some classic American favorites such as pizza, corndog bites, or apple turnovers. This helps expose all students to foods from the individual cultures represented in the classroom, and ensures that everyone will have at least one thing they know they like to snack on.